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Jennings aiming to impress

Bayern Munich's Dale Jennings is looking to break into the club's first team next season following an injury-ravaged debut campaign.

Last Updated: 25/04/12 10:20am

Dale Jennings: Hoping to break into Bayern's first-team next season

Bayern Munich's Dale Jennings is looking to break into the club's first team next season following an injury-ravaged debut campaign in the Bundesliga.

The former Tranmere Rovers winger has been unable to make an impression at the Allianz Arena this term due to two groin injuries.

Jennings has admitted enduring a 'frustrating' first campaign with the Bavarian giants and is now simply focusing on impressing in pre-season and challenging for a first-team place after the summer.

"It has been frustrating," he told The Independent. "After the first operation [on his groin] I was just getting back to full fitness when it went again and I had to take another three months out and start all over.

"The coaches can see I haven't been 100 per cent fit but the club have been great - I think the staff are looking forward to seeing what I can do when I get there.

"I'm back playing again but I'm really just looking forward to a good pre-season and really showing people what I'm capable of doing. This year has gone now really but next year I want to be pushing for a first-team place."

Pinching himself

Jennings admitted he did not recognise club legend Gerd Muller on his first trip to the club's training ground, while he is still pinching himself at being with the Bundesliga giants.

"The first time I turned up for training I asked someone who the little guy with the Bayern jacket was - they told me it was Gerd Muller," he continued.

"If someone had said I would have been at Bayern Munich at the start of last season I would have laughed at them. All I wanted to do was get in the Tranmere first team, now I sit there in my Bayern training top and can't believe I'm wearing that badge.

"We share a training ground [with the first team] so whenever I've got a free minute I'll see what they're up to and I've learnt a lot just watching players like [Arjen] Robben.

"I need to understand that if I want to make an impact here I've got to come on and play with some of the best players in the world."

Language barrier

Another struggle for the Liverpudlian is the language barrier, with the 19-year-old admitting he still cannot speak a word of German, although it is something he is looking to rectify.

"The language is a bit of a struggle - I'm still terrible, I can't speak a word of German. I'm still going to lessons but I left school at a young age and have never really had much of an education.

"I'm picking little things up on the pitch and around the training ground but it is tough. I can understand bits now but it's taking some time."